Instructor Jay Lim’s firm wins Wood Design & Building Award

Instructor Jay Lim’s firm, 25:8 Architecture + Urban Design, has won a Wood Design & Building Award for an addition to a house in Ottawa they call #Ferndale_Flightdeck.

The project was among 19 winners announced by the Canadian Wood Council on October 22. “I thought it was one of the most creative and unique additions to a home I’ve ever seen,” said presenter Jana Proctor. “I could tell right away that it was inspired by a bird in flight.”

The owners’ love of birds was a starting point for the design. The diverse program, which includes a yoga space, home office, and outdoor deck, is combined in a new structure using the space above an existing carport. The angled steel skeleton, which supports the added second level, is like a flexed wing. It looks as if it’s about to take flight.

The 1,000-foot addition is carefully spliced into the existing house, making subtle improvements to views and layout. Openings frame views of the surrounding landscape from the upper deck and rooms.

#Ferndale_Flightdeck received the Wood Preservation Canada Award, sponsored by the industry association that represents the treated wood industry in Canada.

“Pressure-treated wood is typically used for decks and fences, but it’s a versatile material that can be used for many outdoor projects,” noted Proctor.

 “It’s only limited to one’s imagination,” she said. “It’s obvious that the team at 25:8 Architecture + Urban Design understands this. They did an incredible job blending this addition with the surrounding environment.”